Korean Steak & Mushroom Tacos with Kimchi

Korean Steak & Mushroom Tacos with Kimchi

1 Review

From: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2011

The spicy, pickled flavor and crunchy texture of kimchi, the Korean cousin to sauerkraut, is just right on these Korean steak-and-mushroom tacos. Serve with steamed brown rice and sautéed bok choy with chile-garlic sauce.

Preparation

Active

45 m

Ready In

45 m

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, mirin, chile paste and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Grill steak 1½ to 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Grill mushroom caps until soft and charred around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Thinly slice the steak across the grain. Slice the mushrooms. Add the steak and mushrooms to the sauce and stir to combine.

To assemble tacos, divide the steak and mushrooms among tortillas. Top with kimchi, carrot and scallions.

Notes:
Mirin is a low-alcohol rice wine essential to Japanese cooking. Look for it in the Asian section of the supermarket or at Asian markets. An equal portion of dry sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar may be substituted.

Korean chile paste (also called hot pepper paste, gochujang or kochujang) is a fermented spicy condiment made from red chiles, soybeans and salt. Find it in Korean or Asian markets or online from koamart.com. Annie Chun's, a widely distributed national brand of Asian foods, recently launched its own bottled gochujang sauce that is becoming increasingly available in large supermarkets. It keeps indefinitely in the refrigerator. To make a substitute, combine 2 tablespoons each white miso and Asian-style chile sauce, such as sriracha, and 2 teaspoons molasses.

Depending on your region, skirt steak may not be something your supermarket regularly carriescall ahead to make sure it's available or ask your butcher to order it for you. It's usually sold in about 1-pound cuts up to 18 inches long and 5 inches wide, but just ¼ inch thick. Before cooking, cut the steak with the grain into several portions to make the long piece more manageable on the grill or in a skillet. Once cooked, be sure to slice it across the grain for maximum tenderness. Hanger steak, flat-iron and flank steak can all be used as substitutes for skirt steak in most recipes.

Shopping Tip:
Look for jars of kimchi near other refrigerated Asian ingredients or near sauerkraut or refrigerated pickles in well-stocked supermarkets or natural-foods stores.

To warm tortillas, wrap in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds or wrap in foil and bake at 300°F until steaming, 5 to 10 minutes.

People with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity should use soy sauces that are labeled "gluten-free," as soy sauce may contain wheat or other gluten-containing sweeteners and flavors.

Reviews 1

Absolutely delicious combination of flavors. The spiciness of the kimchee, the beefiness of the steak, the savoriness of the marinade combine to make this a truly fantastic meal. We will add this to our standard repetoire and have it again and again and again
Pros: knockout delicious
Cons: none